Uber’s main competition in India, Ola Cabs, has some advice for the U.S. startup – get local. Pranay Jivrajka, a top executive at Ola Cabs, mentioned at CNN’s Asia Business Forum in Bangalore that Uber should move away from its standard approach and focus on understanding the unique aspects of each local market. He believes that this would help Uber offer services that are more in line with what users and drivers in each region actually want.
Uber has been involved in a fierce rivalry with Ola in India for years, as both companies compete for a share of the 1.3 billion potential customers in the market. Recently, Uber has faced challenges in other parts of Asia, such as suspending operations in Taiwan and selling its business in China to local competitor Didi Chuxing.
In India, Ola has often been ahead of Uber in terms of local offerings. For example, Ola allows users to book auto rickshaws, a service that Uber had started but discontinued in 2015. Jivrajka credits Ola’s success to their ability to listen to the needs of users and drivers in India.
Despite the competition, Uber’s CEO Travis Kalanick has expressed a commitment to staying in India and finding a path to profitability. Both Uber and Ola have faced challenges in the market, such as recent strikes by drivers in Delhi demanding better pay and benefits.
Jivrajka also had advice for Tesla, another Silicon Valley company looking to enter the Indian market. He highlighted the unique driving conditions in India and suggested that if a company can navigate the roads there, they can drive anywhere.
Overall, the rivalry between Uber and Ola in India continues to intensify as both companies strive to meet the needs of users and drivers in the country’s competitive market. It remains to be seen how Uber will respond to the advice to go local and whether they will be able to keep up with Ola’s offerings in the region.